"I don't, really," Daniel admits. "I think it was a temporary construct, disappeared before the morning was even out. It struck me a bit like some sort of ward or protective measure but I don't know why he'd leave me that unless it was meant as some, I dunno, ironic taunt."

He remembers the smell of it well enough. In fact, that's been the one thing that won't leave the apartment - the cloying, overly sweet reek of lavender and dead things that's been hanging thick and heavy around his bed ever since. That was another reason he'd been so eager to get out of the place for the day.